1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to garments, such as sportswear, and more particularly aquatic sportswear, such as those that are generally referred to as suits, and which are more particularly adapted to nautical or underwater sporting activities, such as surfing, board sailing, diving, etc.
2. Description of Background and Relevant Information
Suits of the aforementioned type are generally classified into two categories: the dry or impervious suits in which water does not penetrate inside the suit, and the wet suits in which a thin film of water is allowed between the garment and the diver's body, this film being almost instantaneously heated by the diver's body.
These suits generally comprise a main portion that covers the torso, a front surface of the main portion covering the front portion of the thorax, and a rear surface covering the back. The main portion that covers the torso comprises openings for the passage of the arms, legs, and head. The garment can comprise sleeves and legs for covering the upper limbs and the lower limbs, respectively. It can also comprise a collar or a hood in the area of the opening for the passage of the head.
These garments, in particular the wet suits, are generally made of flexible and elastic material so as to conform to the shape of the body as closely as possible without hindering the movement of the body. For example, these materials can be elastic fabrics (such as fabrics having elasthane), or polychloroprene foams (known under the trademark NEOPRENE®), these materials being capable of being assembled to one another at various locations of the same garment. Depending on the choice of these materials, these garments can offer protection against the cold, impacts, the sun, etc.
Various systems exist that facilitate putting on and taking off such garments. The most widely used system is that which calls for a slit provided in the torso-forming portion of the garment. This slit is often arranged in the rear surface of the garment, and it extends, for example, vertically along the spine, from the neckline down to the lower back. The slit is provided with fastening means which are generally made in the form of a slide fastener, such as a zipper. The zipper is often equipped with a relatively long cord so that the user can operate the zipper to fasten his suit without the assistance of another person.
It has been noted that by fastening the zipper by means of the cord, the user often has some difficulty when he reaches the end of the slide fastener, for example, the upper end of the slide fastener located on the edge of the neckline. This is due to the fact that, at the end of the path, the arm of the user is extended, and he cannot ensure a proper traction in the axis of the slide fastener. The arm generally tends to deviate transversely outward with respect to the body, so that the traction force imposed on the slide fastener is completely offset. As a result, the slide fastener often becomes stuck, which, at the very least, is annoying for the user, but which particularly accelerates the wear of the suit by causing tears around the opening.
Therefore, there remains a need for a new construction for aquatic sportswear, and particularly for the opening and the means for fastening these garments, which ensures putting on and taking off the garment easily while preserving the comfort of the garment.